From One Friend to Another
by obsidianLight16
Summary: "I think I should have my position raised to bodyguard." "Merlin, you appall me."  Loyal friends to the end? I don't think so. Warning: Little language here and there, nothing you haven't heard before.
1. Merlin

A/N: ...Merlin and Arthur!

Just something I came up with for an English assignment.

Short- but I hope it's enjoyable either way ^v^

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**An Address to the Court:**

I don't know why it says to 'the court' when I'm only addressing you. But that doesn't really matter. I would like to start off by saying that I am NOT writing this willingly. I have been forced by the likes of Gaius to sign up for a more applicable position in your palace- rather than being a sedated servant under your _impeccable_ rule.

Now I know we have our moments where we have a very strong antipathy towards one another, but there is compassion deep, deep, _deep_, down inside the both of us. Even if you _do_ insist that I am infinitesimal compared to your oh-so-great army of clone knights, I will tell you that I am nothing close to useless.

Perhaps these big words are too much for you to imbibe…oh well. You're always complaining about my lack of decorum so I thought I might make my vocabulary a bit more exuberant. And well…I thought the words would be too complicated for you to understand (even I don't know what I'm writing exactly) and I could easily militate my way to being a bodyguard.

Why should I be a bodyguard?

I think that's self-explanatory. I could finally get praise for my true prowess. Admit it Arthur. I deserve such a great patent. After all the times I've saved you from harm, as well as the rest of Camelot, I think you could stipulate better living, working, and paying conditions.

Besides, as I'm already a servant doing all of your precious bidding _sire_, when you find you're being beset by a giant boar like last night, I'll be by your side to lend a hand like the great asset I am.

I will be waiting in your chambers, cleaning your armor, and doing other pointless tasks for negligible reasons, just so you an I can reach an agreement concerning this issue.

And I heard that snort you were trying to stifle as you read this. How? You snort very loudly and you're already doing it in my head. Some revaluating thoughts _you're_ having!

Nevermind that…just think about what I said.

**Waiting a new position**

** -Merlin**

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A/N: The End! Of the first chapter anyway :D


	2. Arthur

A/N: Also short, but this time it's Arthur.

Also, because I forgot-

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters no matter what. ^-^**

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You appall me.

Really, you do. Writing back does nothing to relieve me of your idiocy Merlin. There is an antithesis between servant and bodyguard and you shall be nothing more than a bumbling bellicose fool who speaks to me as if I am below you. You lack proper alacrity to be a bodyguard and- when have you ever saved me? You are undoubtedly stupid to edict better conditions when you've done nothing to earn them.

Besides that, we're dissonant as it is. Any more time together and we will be lauding on one another- even though we both know I'm the well-mannered one. I will be magnanimous yet again and not punish your lolling self for addressing me in a such a mocking way. Would you like me to elucidate who's the higher rank here?

Thank you. My point is made.

There is no way I am jeopardizing the royal staff and _world_ by moving you a rank higher. And yes I did snort when I heard your outrageous demands. I'm not even going to bother denying the fact that I was holding back obnoxious laughter at that.

Your need as a servant is mandatory. You are nondescript, phlegmatic, but at the same time a vivaciously annoying little servant I can't seem to get rid of.

Not a chance.

I like you as a servant. But I might have to use harsher methods to whet your senses. They're as dull as your brain on a normal day…

My final answer is a big N.O.

Your request annulled.

And my knights are not clones you idiot! They are merely infallible compared to you. I can see you gaping at me you know- close that big mouth of yours for goodness sake. You're going to say that I'm a jerk, but you know as well as I do that I was born this way. Now get back to cleaning my armor and stop writing such 'negligible' things as you so complain.

**From your still reigning Master**

** -Arthur**

P.S. This was supposed to be a love letter to Gwen, but you've gone and distracted me from my true purposes. Another reason why you could never be my bodyguard. Nothing would ever get done! And stop writing these letters! This is the fifth time you asked in the EXACT same words!

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A/N: Fin. Or not. They'll probably be more depending on what you guys think.

"D


	3. Sedatives and a Rant

A/N: The letters stop for a while so the plot can be laid out a little bit ^-^

Hope you enjoy this one as well!

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It was an ordinary day in Camelot. Arthur was sitting in his chambers waiting to be served breakfast, Morgana was eating breakfast, and his father had already eaten breakfast. Everyone was eating…except for him.

The young prince sighed in aggravation after several more minutes in silence, pushing back his chair and calling in a very important voice, "Merlin!" He waited when quiet greeted him back and then called again. "Merlin!"

No answer.

Arthur raised a brow. Usually his servant was never late by more than twenty minutes… A feeling of foreboding filled his gut against his will. And why shouldn't it? All the times his manservant disappeared, he either ended up hurt or having harassed his village.

Stupid Merlin.

Causing the strong wall he had built to block out such trivial waves of compassion to crumble. Pssh…what should he care about such an infinitesimal servant? Merlin was clumsy and couldn't remember anything important. Completely useless. That's what he was. A total idiot who was incapable of doing anything right and who was always jeopardizing himself.

Shaking his head, Arthur exited his chambers, leaving his empty platter of food on the table. Who was he kidding? He missed the exuberant servant and his lack of proper etiquette. And what had it been? Only thirty minutes now? Of course it was natural for the prince to worry. Merlin lacked the fighter's prowess he possessed. Not to mention that several of his knights had a strong antipathy towards the servant for being more praised in his eyes.

Not that he could help it. Everything just seemed less…troublesome when Merlin was around. Even if he didn't want to admit it, Arthur knew his manservant was a great asset to him.

Arthur came to a stop in the wide hallway, squinting as sunlight poured onto the stone floors. There was no way he had just thought of Merlin as more than a servant. An asset? Really? Uggh…he needed to stop taking those sedatives Gaius had been giving him lately…

He glanced outside an open window. Who gave Merlin the right to make him so worried anyway? _Hmph! _He was Arthur Pendragon! Heir to the throne! He didn't need to gain stress lines over a mere, miniscule servant!

Arthur hung his head and released a more reserved sigh. He _really _needed to stop his train of thought and focus on what was important and what was not. The idea circulated in his head for some time- left- and then came back. A small smile broke out on his features.

Clapping his hands together and picking up the pace, Arthur determinedly strode towards Gaius's chambers with an obnoxious bounce in his stride.

Alright. He had reached the ultimate conclusion.

Merlin would no longer make him worried and he would no longer be left with no breakfast.

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"Sire?" Merlin lifted a brow at the prince as he was dragged from his room. "What are you doing?"

Arthur pulled his servant all the way back to his room. "Nothing. Where were you- and why were you late?"

Merlin gave him a sheepish look. "Ah…right. I had a bit of trouble waking up after all those chores you kindly dumped on me, and then I couldn't get myself out of bed."

"That lumpy rock of a mattress I presume," Arthur wryly said. "But none of that matters now. I have a question to ask you. Actually, it's not a question because I know you won't refuse. _Right?_"

"Umm…."

"Good!" Arthur clapped him on the shoulder. "You just got that position of a bodyguard you wanted! You'll stay with me at all times twenty-four seven!"

Merlin blinked.

Arthur beamed. "Great- I know."

Merlin shook his head to himself. Why was the prince shouting? He really needed to tell Gaius to lay off the sedatives…

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A/N: I love these two. In fact- I think I'm going to watch the first season all over again!


	4. Speech Before Stock

**A/N: Sorry for the late chapter! It's really been too long ^-^**

**Anyway, here's something of a little link chappie for the next. Depending on when that one gets up too... :D**

**Warning: Anything you might find that you would think needs a warning**

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"The royal edict is to laud this boy, though he is a droll, loquacious servant who doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut whenever he speaks with or not-"

"Arthur," Merlin interrupted. "You're supposed to be praising me. Not complaining about how useless and clumsy I am."

The prince lifted a brow. "I never said that. But now that you mention it..." He looked over the promotion speech he had written. "You lack brains and prowess, are too reckless- and that _horrid _thing around your neck clearly states how terrible your sense of style is." Arthur smirked and looked back up at his servant. "And your amazing talent at being a clumsy oaf just _appals _me. Please, someone ought to alleviate me of this burden," he lightly teased.

Merlin scoffed. "You can't belittle or dishearten me today, sire. After all, I'm moving up in a rank." He grinned in a sudden rush of exhilaration at his promotion. "But my kindness will forgive your harsh words. Truly I am magnanimous in my way, aren't I?"

Arthur shook his head. "You're an idiot _Mer_lin. And bite your tongue. Honestly, _I _should be praised for putting up with such an ill-mannered bumpkin for all these years, It's mandatory that a servant be respectful to their master...but it's like your completely immune to that!"

"I do try," Merlin said with a smile. "I can't help it if I have a tongue that likes to bother you. You frown way too much and a boring servant would do nothing to help you."

"Glad to know you think of me as a bloody bore," Arthur wryly said, scratching away on his speech. "Care to take it back?"

Merlin paused and then brightly bobbed his head. "Not at all! And you can't do anything about it because Gwen will have your head."

Arthur blinked and paused in his editing. "Gwen...?"

Merlin's smile spread. "Your future wife. She'll kill you for hurting me."

Arthur placed down the parchment he had been writing on. "Will she now?" A grin equal to his servant's broke out on his fair features.

"Yeah. _Sire_," Merlin snickered.

"Right." Arthur leaned back in his chair. "We'll see what one day in the stocks will do for you."

"Wha-?" Merlin hastily backtracked. "You can't do that sire! It's not fair!"

Standing, the prince smirked and clapped him on the shoulder. "Life's not fair Merlin."

"You're impossible!" Merlin dreaded the stocks with his life. All Arthur had been doing was sticking him in them since day one. The bloody bastard! "This is the forth time since yesterday."

"And it never gets old," Arthur said, turning him around and marching his servant to the door.

"But-!"

"Would you like to make it three days?"

Merlin sighed in defeat. "No..."

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Arthur lifted a brow as his servant came ambling into his room late that night. "What's that horrible smell?"

"Eggplant," Merlin said, sniffing his shirt covered in the splattered remains of the vegetable. "I don't see why you're so surprised. Everytime you put me in the stocks I come out smelling like your clone knights."

"_Mer_lin."

"I'm just saying," the brunette said in his own defense. "Why don't _you _spend a day in the stocks?"

Arthur laughed. "What kind of a question is that?" He moved his head side to side, still laughing. "You idiot- princes don't belong in stocks."

"Some do..." Merlin grumbled under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?" Arthur now had a wicked glint in his eye. "Would you care to repeat that?"

Merlin coughed. "I said...er- need food."

"Mmhmm," Arthur looked him over. "I'm sure you did."

"I did!"

"No you didn't."

"Yes I did sire."

"Oh for goodness sake- I'm not deaf."

They glared at each other for the shortest of moments, realizing how much of an idiot the other one was. And then-

"You're wrong."

Arthur let out a heavy sigh, finding it too late to deal with his servant's lies. "You know what? Just leave and take a shower."

"Why?" Merling couldn't resist asking why the prince had given up so easily.

"You're killing my room and everything in it." Arthur narrowed his eyes. "You have a terrifying stench."

Merlin gave him a funny look but starting backing away all the same. "Right...I'll get right on it then..."

Hey- the prince was crazy. He wasn't going to mess with him until tomorrow morning. And he definitely wasn't going to risk being put in the stocks at midnight like the night before. Now _that _was a harsh punishment. He still smelled from that... what kind of people threw their urine at a helpless servant boy?

"Good night sire."

"Goodnight loser."

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**A/N: Bad ending I thought but...whatever you guys thought of it that's fine ^v^**

**Would you like another chapter?**


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